45 long colt 200gr swc

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Jaco1234

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Anyone loading 45 long colt with a 200 gr swc.
What are your results.
I have trailboss, be86, and bullseye as possible powders.
I'm getting excellent results with be86 and 255 swc.
Curious about a little more velocity particularly with trailboss.
 
I know you'll get different responses on this, but I tried a 200 grain (RCBS SWC mould) and got good accuracy with it using both 231 and Unique powders. My loads were moderate only; I didn't try anything that shot faster than about 900 fps in a 6" 25-5 that I've had for forty years.

I did not do a side-by-side comparison with that bullet and the one I usually shoot in .45 Colt, a 255 grain SWC cast from Lyman mould #454424, but I'm reasonably sure the heavier bullet was the more accurate of the two.

In a .45 Colt Winchester '94 Trapper carbine that I've had for a long time, I tried a variety of bullets that weighed from between about 185 grains and 230 grains. Seems there were at least two, maybe three in the 200 grain range. None of these bullets did well in the carbine, though the 255 SWC shoots accurately in it.
 
I use Trailboss in my 45 ACP and 45 Auto Rim with a 200 gr SWC from a Lee mold. Compared with other powders, I find the Trailboss gives good accuracy, but at fairly low velocity, even with a fully loaded case. You'll probably only get around 850 ft/sec. in your Colt loads. Bullseye will get you closer to 1000 ft/sec.
 
I’ve not tried swc’s in my 45LC cartridges but I have experimented with the 200 grain RNFP lead bullets I use in my 45LC and used them in 45acp rounds with excellent success. I’m planning on doing a side by side between swc’s an RNFP in 45acp and see how they actually compare. I’d like to reduce the number of different types of bullets I order. I favor from a practical standpoint the RNFP since I shoot 1911’s, 625 45acp, single action 45LC and lever action rifles. I don’t think my lever guns would feed SWC’s very well although my Henry BBB 357 feeds swc’s without issue.
 
I've got a United Sporting Arms EL Dorado 44 mag that shoots 6 " high with back sight all the way down. Rather than replace the front sight with something taller, I opted to try a suggestion by David Bradshaw to try lighter, faster bullets; 200gr and 180gr.

When I upped the powder and dropped from 240gr to the 200gr bullet, I increased the velocity and dropped the POI by 3" to 4". I shoot mostly 100 yard steel with this piece so a drop of a couple of inches put me darn close to the bullseye.

I think you will see the same thing dropping down to a 200gr on your 45 colt. If you increase the powder to get the lighter bullet back above the velocity where the 255gr was, you will get POI drop.

Remember that lower weight bullets need more powder than a heavier bullet to get the same velocity. It appears that faster velocity gets the bullet out of the barrel faster and before it rises with the recoil.

Mr. Bradshaw also regularly states that Follow-Thru is critical to marksmanship.

Those powders you have seem a little too fast for 45 Colt. I tend toward the slower powders trying to get velocity. Trailboss, with their donuts, clearly state not to compress. It may be hard to get enough in a case without compression to get a lot of velocity.

Prescut
 
Last edited:
.38SuperMan said:
I’ve not tried swc’s in my 45LC cartridges but I have experimented with the 200 grain RNFP lead bullets I use in my 45LC and used them in 45acp rounds with excellent success. I’m planning on doing a side by side between swc’s an RNFP in 45acp and see how they actually compare. I’d like to reduce the number of different types of bullets I order. I favor from a practical standpoint the RNFP since I shoot 1911’s, 625 45acp, single action 45LC and lever action rifles. I don’t think my lever guns would feed SWC’s very well although my Henry BBB 357 feeds swc’s without issue.
Click to expand...

I've had three lever-actions in .45 Colt. One was by EMF; it was junk and was returned, probably twenty-five years ago. I don't know if I ever loaded the magazine on that one. Another was a Winchester '92 reproduction by Miroku. It fed the 255 gr. SWCs fine, but bullets had to be more deeply seated than they did for revolver use. The Winchester '94 Trapper so far feeds anything without problem or special consideration for OAL, but the 255 grain SWC is the heaviest and longest bullet I have tried.
 
Regarding Bullseye, Alliant says a MAX of 7.5gr @ 988 fps for a 200gr LSWC. That's "straight from the horse's mouth", BTW... Seems pretty hot to me? I'd use that for a RNFP as well. Almost any 200gr? As indicated above, "your results may well vary" re: point of impact, etc.

Many decry the possibility of an "inadvertant double charge" when using Bullseye: it doesn't really seem to matter what caliber is under discussion, either? While that possibility is probably greater using a powder drop, I avoid it by measuring each charge, especially with the faster, more "compact"(?) powders like #2, 700-X & Bullseye.

Cheers!
 
I tried the 200 gr lead bullets several years ago as I had lots of them and a couple of guns in .45 Colt. I used 231 and Unique. I am sure you could use Bullseye. They shot fine with reduced recoil. I crimped them in the top grease groove.

One thing you need to be aware of if you are loading for a SAA or clone, the 200 gr swc's can be too long for some cylinders.
 
My 1894 marlin [cas rifle] doesn’t like 200 gr anything, has to be heavier, 225-255, shape doesn’t seem to matter. I load 200 gr for my revolvers. I use around 5.0 gr of clays or clay dot. Lately I’ve been loading for Schofield brass to use in my short bbl .45 carbines. Using up a can of old Bullseye.
 
BIG BORE fan

Now you know, I am a BIG BORE fan Elmer Keith throwback, so I love anything Big and Bad in a revolver. Shoot strait partner and stay safe! ;)
 
We all talk about fps and muzzle flip but I just looked at my little Lyman booklet to see what the data showed.

A 255 gr lead bullet from a old "Cowboy" revolver with w231 does around 880fps.

A 200 gr lead bullet with a full load of Trail Boss will do around 931 fps.

Of course this is just one manual and you need maybe two more forms of data for you to se what the aveage might be.

Do you really have to push your lead bullets into the 1,000 fps zone ?
If your weapon does not lead up the barrel, go for it.
 
Questions
Is the OAL for the 200 gr SWC longer than the 255 SWC
And
I don't believe it takes more powder to get the same velocity with a lighter bullet.
The 230JSP is the best bullet for my lever gun. 6inch groups at 100yds with a Tang sight.
 
When I load my .45 colt 200 or 250 gr rnfp bullets I seat them all to the same over all length with the same seater die with no problems.
 
Unfortunately all of my lead loads for my 45 Long Colt revolvers has been originally Unique and later on with W231

El%20Patron%20Rs.jpg


Those powders work so good for me, I just never thought to try something else.

Every now and again I think of giving Trail Boss a try. It is just as I get older I find less and less time to tinker with hand load development these days
 
If your loading for a revolver with fixed sights (like Colt SAA) a 200 gn bullet will shoot way low. The standard bullet for a 45 Colt is 240~250 gns and that is what most guns are sighted for.
 
The 200 gr bullet seems to shoot tighter groups and closer to the sights in my SAA,but I haven’t been able to work with it for several years to follow up on it
 
the 200 gr swc over 9.5 grains of Unique is the only load my Ruger likes and it works well in the Smith.
 
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